Chapter 9 Chapter nine

The day after the parade, Boris, dressed in his best military uniform, and receiving his farewell words of success from Comrade Berg, went to Olmitz to visit Bolkonski.He hoped to enjoy Bolkonski's favor, and to secure for himself an excellent post, especially an adjutant under a prominent name in the army, which he found attractive. "Rostov's father sent him tens of thousands of rubles at a time, and he was very light-hearted, saying that he would not humble himself before anyone, and would never be anyone's servant; but I had nothing but my own head, so I had to Seek a bright future for yourself, gain fame and wealth, the opportunity should not be missed, but should be fully utilized.”

He did not meet Prince Andrew that day at Olmitz.Headquarters and diplomatic missions were stationed in Olmitz, where the two emperors lived with their entourage - courtiers and close ministers.But the beauty of Olmitz only strengthened his desire to belong to this upper world. He knew no one, and though he wore the fine uniform of the Guards, the high officials, courtiers and soldiers, who went up and down the streets in splendid carriages, with plumes, ribbons, and medals, compared The petty officer of the Guards seemed to be of much higher status, and they were not only unwilling, but would not acknowledge his existence.He inquired about Bolkonsky at the residence of Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov, and all the adjutants, even the orderlies, looked at him contemptuously, as if to signal to him; Very bored.Nevertheless, or rather because of this, the next day, the 15th, he went again to Olmitz after lunch.When he entered Kutuzov's house, he asked Bolkonsky again.At that time Prince Andrei was at home, and Boris was shown into a large drawing room, which used to be a place for dancing, but which now contains five beds, various furniture, a table, several Chairs and a clavichord.An adjutant in a Persian kilt sat writing at a table near the door.The other adjutant, a plump Nesvitsky with a red face, was lying on the bed with his arms under his head, and was joking with an officer sitting next to him.The third adjutant played the Viennese waltz on the clavichord, and the fourth adjutant leaned on the piano and sang along.Bolkonski was not there.None of these gentlemen paid attention to Boris, and they did not change their posture.A man was writing, and when Boris asked him what was going on, the man turned to him wearily, and said that Bolkonski was on duty, and that if he wanted to see him he had to go through the door on the left, into the reception room.Boris thanked him and walked towards the reception room.At this time there were a dozen officers and generals in the reception room.

When Boris came into the room, Prince Andrei was being reported by the old general with his medals on his chest, and his eyes narrowed contemptuously, in a particularly modest and tired manner, which clearly indicated that "If it weren't for my duty, pluralism believes that the world has many original philosophies. There are many materialisms, and I would not even talk to you for a minute." The old general was almost on tiptoe, straight Slouch, with a soldier's humility on his red face, he told Prince Andrei something. "Very well, just a moment, please," he said to the general in Russian with the French accent he had intended to speak contemptuously.When Prince Andrew saw Boris, he stopped listening to the general (the general ran after him begging him to listen to him again), smiled happily, Nodding, he turned to Boris.

By this time Boris understood that what he had foreseen was exactly this: that besides the rank and obedience system and discipline that were clearly stipulated in the drill code and familiar to everyone in the regiment, there was another, more The actual hierarchy of obedience, which compelled the girded, purple-cheeked general to wait respectfully while cavalry captain Prince Andrei thought he could talk freely with lieutenant Drubetskoy.Boris was more determined than ever, and he made up his mind: from now on, he does not need to follow the hierarchical obedience system expressly stipulated in the code of conduct, but should serve in accordance with this unwritten hierarchical obedience system.Now he felt that just because he had been introduced to Prince Andrei he was immediately above the general who, on other occasions, even at the front, might have made him, a warrant officer of the Guards, ashamed.Prince Andrew went up to him and took his hand.

"I'm sorry you didn't see me yesterday. I've been dealing with the Germans all day long. Weyrother and I went to inspect the deployment. If the Germans are going to get serious about it, there's no end to it." Boris smiled slightly, as if he knew what Andre was hinting at.But it was the first time he had heard the surname Weiröthel, or even the word "deployment." "Oh, my dear, how is it? You always wanted to be an adjutant? I've been thinking about you lately." "Yes!" said Boris, blushing for some reason. "I would like to ask the Commander-in-Chief. Kuragin wrote him about me, and that's why I want to ask him." ,” he added, as if apologetically, “only because I was afraid the Guards would not go to war.”

"Very well, very well! Let us discuss the matter," said Prince Andrei. "Just ask me to report the situation of this gentleman to my superiors, and then I will be at your disposal." When Prince Andrei went to report the situation to the purple-faced general, who clearly disagreed with Boris's view that the unstated hierarchy of subordination was beneficial, he fixed his eyes on the man who was in the way of him and the adjutant general. After the reckless warrant officer finished speaking, Boris felt embarrassed.He turned his face away and waited impatiently for Prince Andrew's return from the commander-in-chief's office.

"Listen, my dear, I have thought about your situation," said Prince Andrew, as they entered the hall with the clavichord. "You don't need to go to the Commander-in-Chief," said Prince Andrei, "he'll tell you a lot of polite things and ask you to come and have lunch with him (as long as you serve according to that hierarchical obedience system) In theory, this is not bad, Boris thought for a while), but in the end this will not make any progress, we people, adjutants and adjutants, are about to make a battalion. Let's do it like this: I have a friend Dole Prince Gorukoff, he is an adjutant chief, and he is a good character. Although you have no way of knowing that, the point is that Kutuzov, with his headquarters, and us can do nothing It works. Now the king is doing everything. Let's go to Dolgorukov, and I should go to him. I have already talked to him about you, so let's go and see if he can Put you in service beside him, or take a place somewhere nearer to the sun."

Prince Andrew was especially pleased when he had the opportunity to mentor young people and help them succeed in high society.Because of his arrogance, he would never accept help from others, but under the pretext of helping others, he approached those who achieved success and attracted him.He was happy to do Boris' affairs alone, and went with him to Prince Dolgorukov. When they entered the Olmitz Palace where the two emperors and their cronies lived, it was already very late. The Council of War was held on this day, with the participation of all members of the Military Senate and the two emperors.The military council objected to the opinions of Kutuzov and Duke Schwarzenberg, two old men, and decided to launch an attack immediately and fight Bonaparte.When Prince Andrew, accompanied by Boris, went to the palace to look for Prince Dolgorukov, the military council had just ended.Most of the battalion's personnel were intoxicated by the military meeting successfully held by the al-Shabaab today.The voices of some slow-moving men who suggested biding their time and holding off on the attack were silenced by the chorus, their arguments refuted by the incontrovertible evidence that the attack was favorable, and the talk of the impending battle at the meeting , the undoubted triumph, seems not to be a matter of the future, but of the past that has already passed.We already have various favorable factors.A large force, undoubtedly superior to that of Bonaparte, had been assembled in a certain area.The two emperors came to supervise the battle in person.The morale of the army was encouraged, and the officers and soldiers were eager to go into battle.The Austrian general Weiroter, who commanded the troops, knew at a glance the strategic locations where military operations were to be carried out (the Austrian army happened to hold exercises on the battlefield where the French army was about to confront the previous year), and he was also very familiar with the terrain adjacent to the front. All are detailed on the map.Apparently Bonaparte was furious, but did nothing.

Dolgorukov, the most ardent supporter of the offensive, had just returned from the committee, tired but refreshed and proud of his victory.Prince Andrei introduced the officer he was protecting, but Prince Dolgorukov, pretending to be respectful, shook Boris' hand firmly, and said nothing to him.Evidently he could not bear it any longer, and wanting to express the thoughts that most interested him at the moment, he turned his face to Prince Andrew and began speaking French. "Oh! my dear, what battles we have endured! God bless, the war will also be ended successfully. But, my dear," he said with broken enthusiasm, "I should Admitting my faults before the Austrians, and especially before Weirother. How meticulous, how thorough, how familiar with the terrain, how foresighted all possibilities, all conditions, all details! But, my dear Yes, conditions more favorable than ours are not to be deliberately invented. Austrian sophistication combined with Russian bravery is invincible, what more do you want?"

"In that case, is launching an attack the final decision?" Bolkonski said. "Do you know, my dear, that it seems to me that Bonaparte's words are in vain. You know, I received a letter from him today to the Emperor." Dolgorukov smiled meaningfully. "That's true! What did he write?" asked Bolkonski. "What can he write? It's not a cliché, it's just to buy time. I tell you, it's true that he's in our hands! But the most interesting thing is," he suddenly laughed kindly, Said, "No matter what, I can't think of what to call him in reply. If the recipient is not called the consul, of course he can't be called the emperor. I think he can be called General Bonaparte."

“But there is a difference between not recognizing Bonaparte as emperor and calling him a general,” Bolkonski said. "That's the point," said Dolgorukov quickly, interrupting him with a laugh. "You know Bilibin, he is a very wise man, and he suggested addressing the addressee: 'Usurper and Enemy of Mankind'." Dolgorukov laughed happily. "Is there no other name?" said Bolkonski. "Bilibin came up with a title for correspondence after all. He was a man of wit and astuteness..." "Isn't it? What title?" "Head of the French Government, Auchef dugouvernement francais," said Prince Dolgorukov gravely and cheerfully. "It's wonderful, isn't it?" "Wonderful, he would be very unhappy," said Bolkonski. "Oh, it would be very unpleasant! My brother knew him, my brother dined with him (the present emperor) more than once, when they were all in Paris, and my brother told me that he had never seen Bibona A more clever and keen diplomat. You know, he is a diplomat with French flexibility and Italian hypocrisy! Do you know the anecdote between him and Count Markov? Only Marco The Earl of Corfe is good at dealing with him alone. Do you know the story of the handkerchief? Wonderful!" The talkative Dolgorukov, turning his face now to Boris and now to Prince Andrew, narrated that Bonaparte was trying to test our envoy Markov.Bonaparte deliberately threw a handkerchief in front of him, and he stopped, staring at him, probably waiting for Markov's help, and picked up the handkerchief for him, and Markov immediately threw a handkerchief beside him. He picked up his own instead of Bonaparte's. " "Charmant," said Bolkonski, "Prince, please listen to me, I have come to you to intercede for this young man. Do you know what is going on? . . . " -------- ①French: wonderful. But Prince Andrei had no time to finish when an adjutant came into the room and called Dolgorukov to see the Emperor. "Oh, what an annoyance!" said Dolgorukov, standing up hastily, shaking Prince Andrei and Boris by the hand, "you know, I have done what I have decided for you and this lovely young man." I'm very happy about everything." He shook Boris' hand again, with a mild, earnest, lively, indiscreet expression. "But you all understand, see you next time!" Boris felt that at this time he was under the control of the upper class in power, and he was very excited at the thought of getting close to these people in power.He realized that he was here dealing with the clockwork that directs the movement of the vast crowd, and he felt that in his regiment he was just a submissive, insignificant part of the crowd.They followed Prince Dolgorukov into the corridor and met a small man in civilian clothes coming out of the door through which Dolgorukov entered the king's room. Man, he has an intelligent face with prominent jawbone protruding forward, but it does not detract from his face, but it endows him with a particularly flexible facial expression.The diminutive man nodded to Dolgorukov as if he were one of his own, began to fix Prince Andrew with his cold eyes, and walked straight up to him, apparently waiting for Ann. Prince Andrey bowed to him, or made way for him.Prince Andrei neither bowed nor moved out of the way, his face showed resentment, so the young man turned and walked close to the edge of the corridor. "Who is he?" asked Boris. "He's the best, but the person I hate the most. He's the foreign minister, Prince Adam Czartoryzhsky. Those are the people," Bolkonski sighed as they walked out of the palace. In a calm tone, he said, "It is these people who decide the fate of the people of all ethnic groups." The next day, the troops set off.Before the battle of Austerlitz Boris had time to visit neither Bolkonsky nor Dolgorukov, who remained for some time in the Izmailov regiment.